


Can't Fight this Fire

by bekindplsrewind



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Claustrophobic Adam, Firefighter!Michael, Humour, Light Angst, M/M, Michael is socially awkward and doesn't know how to flirt, Panic Attacks, Swearing, it's a hard thing to pin down..., pizza delivery man!Adam, so he comes off as an ass, turned cracky fluff...?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:40:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26218765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bekindplsrewind/pseuds/bekindplsrewind
Summary: One of Adam's worst fears finally happens--being trapped in an elevator. When his saviour comes in the form of a hot firefighter, he might reconsider it to be a blessing in disguise--at first. Turns out he's a dick.------Inspired by a tumblr prompt:I’m having a panic attack because I’m trapped in this elevator, and you’re the firefighter trying to talk me down. And it’s kinda working, because your voice is so soothing.-------the russian translation byNokia_Megatroncan be foundhere.
Relationships: Michael/Adam Milligan
Comments: 28
Kudos: 77





	Can't Fight this Fire

**Author's Note:**

> it's been a while since i've written anything, so this was a nice reprieve from the anguish of my main series. here's a little firefighter/pizza delivery boy midam au, for ya! lmao, what starts out as something quite serious and angsty turns into... somethin' else. borderline crack? the prelude to a cheesy porno? idk, it's up for you to decide :'D. [i just found it amusing for the second half, lol.]
> 
> inspired from a [tumblr prompt](https://omgjasminesimone.tumblr.com/post/618224465685446656/me-searching-for-au-prompts-and-not-seeing).

Adam wasn’t sure how long he’d been stuck there. After he’d used the emergency telephone in the elevator, he was told maintenance was on the way, but that felt like hours ago. He’d since taken to huddling himself against the wall across from the elevator doors, knees pressed to his chest, arms tightly wound around his legs. It helped to have them clenched against something to keep his shaking at bay or he was sure he was going to vibrate out of his skin. He kept his head down with his forehead pressed to his knees, the rough denim scraping his skin every time he hiccuped a sob. He didn’t do well in small, dark spaces. Also knowing that he was suspended between the ninth and tenth floor and could potentially plummet to his death, only worsened his anxiety. Oh, was he having a grand ol’ time.

Spiraling from his worst thoughts, he heard a creaking just above him.  _ This is it, _ he thought, clasping his hands over his head and squeezing his eyelids tighter,  _ I’m a goner. _ His heartbeat thundered in his ears, almost drowning out the rattling and scraping of metal above him, which was a good thing, he thought, not wanting to be reminded that the cable wires holding him up would snap at any given moment. But they didn’t. Instead, a voice called out to him.

“Hey, kid, you all right?”

With the severity of his panic attack, Adam believed that it had pushed him into an auditory hallucination. Or maybe he was already dead and he was hearing the voice of God.

“Kid!” the voice called out more urgently.

Gradually, Adam opened his eyes to a patch of light by his shoe. It was a startling thing to see since he’d gotten used to the emergency light’s hellish state of hazy red. He raised his head and blinked at the blinding shaft of light, beaming around the darkened silhouette above him. The figure appeared to be a man, hunched down with his coat hanging open like large wings at rest, and for a moment, Adam believed he was staring at a real angel. When his eyes finally adjusted, he realised it was a firefighter.

“Y-you’re not maintenance,” he somehow managed to stutter out.

The firefighter smiled at him. “I’m not. Better, I’d think, because I’m getting you out of here.” He stretched his arm out towards him. “Come on, grab my hand and I’ll pull you up.”

Adam swallowed. “I… I can’t,” he panted shallowly, “if I move, the cables will snap!”

The firefighter watched him silently for a beat before speaking. “What’s your name?” he asked calmly.

“A-adam.”

“Hey, Adam, I’m Michael. Now, trust me when I tell you, you’re gonna be all right,” he said, his voice smooth and even toned. With a soft smile, he fixed Adam with a trustworthy and calming gaze. “The elevator’s going to stay right where it is, and you’ll be fine. I’ve done this plenty of times before; these elevators are as sturdy as a rock. You could put this building through a hurricane and they’d still be running.” Hearing this helped to ease some of Adam’s worries, enough that he’d stopped crying, at least. “You think you can stand for me?”

“I… I can try…” Adam sniffled as he unravelled his arms and slowly pushed himself up. His legs shook and he felt the floor shift underneath his feet as he leaned against the wall for support.

“That’s it, take your time. You’re doing great, Adam,” Michael coaxed, gently.

With his back against the wall, Adam splayed his arms out at his sides and inched his way along the perimeter of the metal box until he reached the doors. The opening gaped above him almost mockingly.

“Grab my hand.” Michael’s hand dangled down in front of his face. Adam stared at it with wide eyes, too afraid to let go of the solid foundation behind him. “Adam, hey,” Adam looked up to see Michael’s reassuring smile, “you can do this.”

Adam wiped his tears with the sleeve of his arm and nodded, pushing off the wall and clasping Michael’s hand tightly with both hands. He whimpered when he suddenly couldn’t feel the floor beneath him. “Don’t let go!” he blurted, wild eyed and frantic as he stared up into Michael’s face.

“I’ve got you, kid. I’ve got you.” Michael lifted him almost effortlessly. When Adam was high enough to see out into the lobby, Michael reached behind him and hoisted him out. Adam laid on the musty carpet facedown and simply breathed, still shivering from the adrenaline of it all. He felt a hand pat him on his shoulder. “You all right? Can you sit up?”

Adam rolled over and pushed himself upright, now finding himself seated face-to-face with the presumable angel.  _ He has kind eyes, _ Adam thought. And now that he wasn’t too preoccupied with his own anxiety, he also realised he was kind of hot. “Thanks, um, you’re… really strong.”

“I’d have to be if I’m pulling guys twice my weight out from burning buildings.” Michael angled his head and smiled at him.

“Yeah, or you’d be out of a job.” Adam could feel his face heating up from embarrassment this time, feeling foolish for stating the obvious. He caught Michael chuckling before averting his eyes when he felt a persistent buzzing in his back pocket. He pulled out his phone as several messages popped up on his screen. “Fuck!” he cried, scrambling to stand.

“Whoa, easy there.” Michael held onto his arm until he was steady on his feet. “Where’s the hurry?”

“I’m late! I’ve been stuck in there for almost two hours and I’m just getting texts from my boss asking me where I am. I can’t lose this job!”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay to drive?” Michael drifted over the pizza logo on Adam’s shirt apprehensively.

“I-I’ll be okay.” He nodded, trying to convince himself. “I just need to do a few breathing exercises and I’ll be good. Better than starving, right?” He offered a smile as he edged backwards towards the stairwell. His legs still felt weak, but he forced himself to at least walk like he wasn’t about to lose his balance.

Michael eventually nodded, his starry smile having dropped into a frown. “Take care, kid.”

“I-I will. Thanks!” Adam turned in that instant and shuffled through the exit, half stumbling as he rushed down the ten flights of stairs.

When he climbed into his car, he sat behind the wheel and breathed deeply for a minute before starting it. He was careful as he drove, still feeling a little wired from coming down from his panic attack, but what he was dreading more was what he was going to be faced with at work. He explained the situation as best as he could without trying to sound like he was making it up. He was lucky that he didn’t get fired, mostly because they were understaffed and he was the only other delivery guy they had, but also because his boss had the pleasure of being trapped in an elevator as a youth and expressed some empathy.

* * *

That day had lingered on his mind for obvious reasons. He’d avoided elevators altogether since, opting for the endless flights of stairs and torturous cardio, but it also made him think of the firefighter that had rescued him. He realised now that it was unlikely that his life was at any risk, yet, at the time, everything had felt very real to him. When he believed he was going to die, he believed it with an undeniable certainty, like how he  _ knew  _ his blood was red, how he  _ knew  _ he needed oxygen to survive. He’d all but lost hope that the maintenance guy named “Dean” would even show up, even when he’d been told he was on his way, fully accepting his fate and death alone in that dark, metal cage. Then Michael had appeared. His presence alone was a comfort to him, to know he wasn’t forgotten. He made Adam feel safe and protected. And even though Adam knew Michael was only doing his job, he wanted to entertain the idea that maybe Michael might have seen something in him that was worth more than just a little task to tick off his list. The way he held him in his gaze was so gentle, so… soft, and it had Adam convinced, if even for a moment, that he could be someone important to him.

He shrugged his thoughts away as he buzzed the intercom number at the apartment building. When he heard a click, he leaned towards the speaker and spoke loudly, “Hi, pizza delivery.” There was another buzz followed by a click as the front door unlocked. He eyed the elevator warily as he walked past, peering up the looming flights of stairs he’d have to master. With a sigh, he took them two steps at a time. His heart was pounding and he was slightly out of breath by the time he reached the fifth floor, but it beat having the possibility of getting trapped in another elevator.

He knocked on the door and waited as he tried to bring his breathing down. There was shuffling from inside, then the sound of scraping metal bolts and turning locks before the door swung open.

“Hi, pizza… delivery…” Adam’s voice tapered off and was practically inaudible by the end of his well rehearsed line.

“How much is it?” Standing on the other side of the door was the hot firefighter, now casually dressed in comfy sweats and a t-shirt that showed off his strong and impressive arms.

“I… don’t know,” Adam replied without thinking as he stared.

Michael glanced up from his wallet and quirked an amused brow. He pointed at Adam’s hand. “Isn’t it written on the receipt?”

“Ah, right, right.” Adam cleared his throat and looked down at the tiny paper clutched in his hand, brows furrowed intensely in concentration. “It’s, um, seventeen-fifty?”

“Is that a question?”

Adam peered back up at him. “It is.”

Michael chuckled. “So, it’s a question? You’re not sure.”

“No! I mean, it  _ is _ seventeen-fifty.” Adam knew that his face was on fire, and when he blushed, his cheeks got cherry red. Michael nodded and opened his wallet again. Adam watched him before suddenly blurting, “So, uh, I’m not sure if you remember me, but, um, you… you kinda saved me.”

Michael paused and flicked his gaze at him, “Uh, I save a lot of people.”

“Oh.” Adam frowned.

Michael turned back to his wallet. “Do you have change for a hundred?”

Adam knew he should have ended it there, but he couldn’t help but persist. “But uh, it was last week. I was stuck in an elevator and you pulled me out.”

Michael stopped to look at him with a sigh. “Look, kid, in my line of work, I come across a lot of people. It’s a tough gig, so forgive me if I don’t remember every single face I come across that develops hero worship for me.”

Adam frowned. “Sorry, I just… it meant a lot to me that you… you came.” Adam knew he crossed a line as he averted his gaze and he felt badly for it. “And, sorry, no. That’s too large a bill to break.” He shuffled on his feet uncomfortably as he kept his eyes downward.

He heard Michael sigh softly. “Hold on, let me get a smaller bill.” He shuffled back inside.

Adam didn’t consider himself to be a snoopy person, but Michael had left the door wide open for him to view his apartment in all its glory. The first thing he noticed was the stack of pizza boxes on his kitchen counter, and they weren’t just random ones. They were all from the same place—his workplace. He didn’t think much about it at first, because, who didn’t like pizza? But it was the insulated pizza bag sitting next to them that caught his attention. Adam’s eyes bulged as he was trying to piece together what was going on when Michael returned with a twenty dollar bill in hand.

“You lied to me!” Adam retorted, raising his face to him.

“Excuse me?” Michael was starting to show signs of annoyance, but Adam was downright pissed.

“You  _ do  _ remember me!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Michael chuckled, a dangerous glint shining in his eyes. “And watch your goddamn tone.” Adam took a step forward and gesticulated wildly inside. “Hey!”

“The fuck are those, huh? Order a lot of pizza, lately,  _ Michael?” _ Adam stuck his chin out and met him with a glare.

“What’s your problem, kid? You the pizza police?”

“My _ ‘problem’ _ is that I left my pizza bag behind in the elevator and I got shit for it at work. Now,  _ you _ happen to have it.” He pointed at the thing that was so evidently out on the counter. Michael turned to look, but his expression didn’t read as confident as before.

He faced Adam again with a stubborn sigh. “I can explain.”

“I fucking  _ knew it!” _ Adam exclaimed. “Why all the secrecy? You get off making people feel inferior to you?”

Michael pressed his lips together tightly before speaking. “I didn’t want to come off as a creep. I’ve been ordering from your work all week so I could return it to you.”

Adam wanted to stay mad and throw this back in his face, but it actually calmed him down to hear him speak truthfully. And despite how borderline stalkerish it sounded, he found it rather endearing. He took a breath. “You could have returned it to the other guy, you know?” he said, his tone having levelled out. “It’s not like I actually own the thing.”

Michael nodded. “I suppose you’re right.”

Feeling a little brave, Adam paused before continuing, “Unless, of course, you wanted to see… me?” Adam smiled at him. He knew he was cute, but Michael was hot. He wasn’t sure if Michael would even consider him in the same league, but a guy could try.

“I want my pizza,” Michael said flatly, offering him the twenty.

Adam pulled it out of the bag and exchanged it for the money with a huff.

“A little unprofessional hitting on a customer, don’t you think?”

“Can I get my bag back, please?” Adam rolled his eyes. He was definitely grumpy, now. The rejection shouldn’t have come as a surprise, but now it just seemed like Michael was yanking his chain. Adam waited as Michael turned to go fetch his bag, tucking the one he had under his arm as he hobbled on his feet. “Taking your sweet time, there, huh?” he commented out loudly with Michael’s back to him.

Michael finally turned around with the bag in tow. He shoved it into Adam’s chest.

“Gee, thanks,” Adam stated, dryly.

“Adam,” Michael said, stopping Adam as he was turning to leave, “careful on your way down. A light’s out.” Surprised, Adam could only nod before Michael shut the door.

He shuffled down the stairs, passing the third flight of stairs in semi-darkness.

It wasn’t until he was settled in his car and had the door shut behind when he realised: “He remembered my name.” He shook his head and chuckled to himself. This was his last delivery for the night, and he was happy to go home and nestle in bed.

* * *

“Hey, guess what? I got the bag back,” Adam announced as he strolled back into work. He tossed the bags at his other co-worker, Kevin, who caught them reflexively in the air.

“Good, they’re expensive. Now I won’t have to dock it from your paycheque,” his boss replied, curtly.

Adam sighed. “Thanks. Gonna clock out, now.” He grabbed his timecard and punched out.

“Hey, you left a receipt in here,” Kevin said as he was checking the bags. Adam glanced over his shoulder when Kevin pulled it out and turned it over. “Oh, it’s a number.”

“What…?” Adam walked over.

“Some dude’s number. ‘Michael’?” Kevin squinted at it. Adam rammed himself over his shoulder and snatched it out of his hand. “Uh, okay?”

Adam stared at the neat scrawl of writing on the back of the delivery receipt. At the bottom in clear, legible words were: ‘Call me.’

Kevin screwed his face up in amusement when it dawned on him. “Did one of the customers just give you his number?” He snapped his fingers. “Oh, yo! That’s the guy that I kept delivering to!” He snorted.

“Uh, I gotta go!” Adam pocketed the paper and backtracked out of there with a salute. “Peace!”

He left with the fading sound of Kevin laughing and yelling, “Someone’s gettin’ boned tonight!”

Adam climbed into his car and started dialling the numbers into his phone, opting for a text instead.

_ ‘You fucker,’ _ he started off as a cheery opener.

_ ‘Who the hell is this?’ _

_ ‘Adam you asshole _ _  
_ _ Is this your way of trying to pick me up? _ _  
_ _ Leaving your number behind on the sly so i could call you?’ _

_ ‘Exactly. You’re SUPPOSED to call me, not text me, genius.’ _

Adam grinned.

_ ‘Maybe when i get home _ _  
_ _ I just got off work’ _

Adam waited for him to respond. Michael had been prompt with all his other messages, but this one seemed to take a little longer. A couple of minutes passed before Adam decided he might have just ended the conversation. Just as he was about to turn the key in the ignition, he got a reply.

_ ‘Have any plans tonight? Not sure if you’re up for a bite?’ _

Michael was  _ flirting _ with him. Adam wasn’t sure if he was asking him out or inviting him over.

_ ‘Hmm i could eat _ _  
_ _ What do you have in mind?’ _

This time, there was an image. Adam waited for it to load and laughed. Michael had taken a poorly attempted selfie of himself eating a slice of pizza.

_ ‘It’s getting cold though. I could warm you up when you get here.’ _

Adam gaped at the last line before another was sent almost immediately.

_ ‘I could warm it** up.’ _

_ ‘I don’t think i’d mind either ;)’ _ Adam smiled.

_ ‘Let me text you my address.’ _

_ ‘Don’t need it _ _  
_ _ I still remember where you live’ _

_ ‘Stalker.’ _

Adam laughed and shook his head, dumping his phone next to him as he finally started the car.

When he got there, he was buzzed in without either of them so much as exchanging a word. He trotted up the stairs again, almost tripping up the third flight from over excitement and blindness. He knocked on Michael’s door the second time that night, hearing him shuffling from inside, the bolt and locks sliding. Michael opened the door in the same sweats and t-shirt.

“Pizza delivery,” Adam announced with a grin. Michael couldn’t help but pull a smirk at that. Stepping aside, he let Adam through and closed the door behind him.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! all kudos and comments are greatly appreciated! :)
> 
> i really wanted to highlight the parallels to canon--dean not coming for adam, michael being there for him, their icy relationship in the beginning [but since this is a ficlet, i had to speed this up x100, lol D:]. and i finally slipped a self-indulgent wish of mine and got kevin in a story with adam bc i'd think they'd be bffs if they met in canon, lmao. considering this is an au, i realise that their characterisations is a little ooc, but it's a little hard to always keep that in check considering their circumstances [i.e. michael being human]. well, i gave it my best! and if the ending sounds like the beginning of a cheesy porno, you're not wrong! :D bc adam's thinking exactly that, and if i write the smutty sequel, that's exactly how it would start off! XD
> 
> also, i left michael as a 'blank canvas' for you guys to decide how he would look like. use any faceclaim as you please ;).
> 
> come and bother me at my tumblr! :D [seagullmichael](https://seagullmichael.tumblr.com/)


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